Lieutenant Colonel John Palmer Usher

Bronze Star

John Palmer Usher was born in Vancouver Canada to Linton and Charlotte Usher on July 28, 1908. He was the sole grandson of John P Usher, the Secretary of the Interior in President Lincoln’s cabinet. His early life was spent in Aransas Pass TX on the family ranch. The family moved to New Mexico and he graduated from Fort Sumner HS in 1926. The next fall he enrolled at NMAMC and graduated with a degree in Agriculture in 1930. He was commissioned a reserve officer at that time of his graduation. Later that same year he married the former Bessie Lee Hammer of Las Cruces. They moved to Pomona Kansas where he took over operations of the family ranch. The family grew with the birth of his son Linton, and daughter Jeanne. In 1941 he was called to active duty and over the next several years assumed various staff roles with the 20th, 79th and 86th Infantry Divisions. In late summer 1944 he was assigned to the 9th Army staff and shipped to the European Theater. On October 7, 1944, a vehicle bearing Lt Cols Frederick J. Bailey and John P. Usher of the 28th Infantry, was traveling well in the rear of the front lines in Luxembourg when it was stopped by what appeared to be a United States Army captain and sergeant, standing by a halted American jeep. Pulling alongside, and hearing the "captain" talking wildly in German, although they wore American combat jackets and helmets, the officers opened fire and killed the two men. An enemy machine gun and at least one rocket launcher opened fire from the edge of the woods. Realizing that they had driven into an ambush the American officers dismounted and started shooting it out with the Germans. Lt Col Usher was killed. Bailey continued to fire back until the Germans were killed or withdrew. Lt Col Usher is buried in the Henri Chappelle American Cemetery. He was 36 years of age at the time of his death.